Zoning

Zoning is the process of dividing land in a municipality into zones (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial) in which certain land uses are permitted or prohibited. The type of zone determines whether planning permission for a given development is granted. Zoning may specify a variety of outright and conditional uses of land. It may also indicate the size and dimensions of a land area, as well as the form and scale of structures and buildings. These guidelines are set in order to guide urban growth and development.